By the time they left the cafeteria, the stars were shining brightly overhead, a loud silence.
Lucian, still lost in his own world, rambled on as they walked back to the dormitories. "And then there was this other book—it was about lost civilizations. They had this thing called—"
Austin tuned him out, his thoughts drifting to quiet evenings in the Todesfall Forest with his family.
Tomorrow would bring challenges, but he longed for peaceful nights, warm conversations, and the comforting glow of their home's hearth.
He let out a deep sigh, realizing that those nights were over.
As they reached the dormitory entrance, Austin turned to Lucian, who was still mid-sentence. "Lucian."
Lucian stopped abruptly, looking at him expectantly.
"Eat your food next time," Austin said, walking past him and into their room.
Lucian stood there for a moment, then grinned. "Got it!"
As they entered, the atmosphere shifted instantly.
Aidan was already there, writing a letter near the window, his posture rigid and his gaze sharp. His piercing eyes flicked from Austin to Lucian like daggers.
Lucian froze in the doorway, his usual chatter replaced by an unnerving silence. His face turned pale, almost ghostly.
Austin, however, remained unfazed. He glanced at Aidan whom flinched a little, noting the changes of his glare but choosing to ignore it.
If it means Lucian finally shuts up, this is a blessing in disguise, he thought wryly.
Without a word, he crossed the room, he opened his chest, and began changing his clothes.
The silence in the room was thick. Austin could practically feel Lucian trembling behind him.
Aidan didn't say a word, but the unspoken tension filled every corner of the room.
Lucian finally shuffled to his own bed, keeping his head low, his movements stiff and awkward.
Austin caught a glimpse of him out of the corner of his eye—his pale face was now slick with sweat. He looks like he just saw a ghost, he thought.
Aidan's continued glaring, but Austin couldn't care less. As long as there was no noise and no unnecessary drama, he was content.
After changing his clothes, Austin let out a small sigh and glanced at the clock on the wall.
Tomorrow was the Placement Ceremony, and he knew a good night's sleep was essential.
He moved to his bed, pulled the covers over himself, and lay down, his back to the rest of the room.
Lucian was still frozen, sitting on the edge of his bed, while Aidan continued to stare at him.
This is fine, Austin thought as he closed his eyes, his mind already shifting to tomorrow's events. As long as nobody makes a sound, everything's fine.
And with that, he tucked himself in and let the quiet buzz of the night lull him into sleep, ignoring the lingering tension in the room.
Austin was just on the cusp of drifting into much-needed sleep when a loud bang jolted him back to reality.
The door to their room flew open with a thunderous crash, followed by the sound of boisterous laughter and chatter as the other students in their dorm burst in after eating from the cafeteria.
Their raucous energy filled the room like an unwelcome storm, their voices bouncing off the stone walls.
The noise was unbearable, each laugh and shout hammering at Austin's already fragile patience.
His eyes snapped open, a sharp glare directed at the ceiling as he inhaled deeply. The events of the day—Lucian's endless babbling, the tension with Aidan, and the emotional toll of his enrollment—had all been simmering beneath the surface. He sat up abruptly, his expression dark, he finally boiled over.
"SHUT THE HELL UP!" Austin bellowed, his voice slicing through the noise like a blade.
The effect was instantaneous. The room fell silent as if a spell had been cast.
The laughing students froze mid-step, one of them still holding the door halfway closed, unsure whether to finish the motion.
Even the hallway beyond went eerily quiet as a few passing students paused, startled by the sudden outburst.
Inside the room, Lucian flinched so hard that he nearly fell from his bed.
The newly arrived students stared at Austin as though they'd just been scolded by an angry professor.
Austin's sharp gaze swept over them, his expression unyielding. The weight of his glare pinned them in place like insects caught in amber.
Aidan, sitting on his bed and lazily flipping through a book, looked up with mild amusement, one corner of his mouth quirking into what might've been a smirk.
Satisfied that his message had landed, Austin threw himself back onto his bed and tugged the covers over his head.
The room remained silent, the only sounds the muffled shuffle of feet and the creak of beds as the other students timidly moved about.
The hallway, too, stayed quiet—several students who'd overheard the commotion outside exchanged nervous glances before hurrying along, whispering to one another about "the guy who yelled."
Within minutes, Austin's breathing softened into an even rhythm, signaling that he'd already fallen back to sleep.
Meanwhile, his roommates sat in uneasy silence, reluctant to risk waking the tempest they'd just witnessed.
***
Austin stirred before the sun rose, the room steeped in shadows and the steady breaths of his sleeping peers.
Sliding out of bed quietly, he carefully rummaged through his belongings and selected a comfortable outfit for his morning jog.
Just as he was tying his laces, Lucian stirred, blinking blearily at him.
"Where are you going?" Lucian's voice was groggy but curious.
Austin hesitated, then replied honestly after a sigh, "For a jog."
Lucian sat up, his curiosity piqued. Noticing that his twin brother, Aidan, remained fast asleep, he decided to join.
Though Austin found Lucian's insistence annoying, he neither protested nor waited.
As Austin slipped out the door, Lucian muttered, "Wait for me," but the words were swallowed by the still air. Aidan stirred, cracking an eye open and glaring at Lucian, who froze briefly before hurriedly leaving.
***
The training grounds stretched wide and tranquil, covered in the soft glow of the moon. Tall trees framed the expanse, their long, unmoving shadows adding to the stillness.
From his position, Austin could see two of the academy's defining structures dominating the horizon.
To the south, a tall, utilitarian tower stood, its stone exterior etched with glowing symbols. A spire rose from its peak, while a surrounding courtyard, lined with banners of insignia.
In stark contrast, towards the north, at the heart of the academy, near the first-year dormitories, a much taller and more elegant tower reached high above the rest. Its polished stone gleamed faintly in the moonlight, and its intricate carvings spoke of both grandeur and mystery.
The tower curved slightly northward, like a blade poised for action, evoking the image of a sundial's gnomon.
Austin jogged effortlessly, his breaths steady and controlled, his feet gliding over the well-trodden path.
Lucian, however, was struggling. Gasping for air, he stumbled every few meters, only to grit his teeth and continue.
His determination amused Austin, though he suspected fear of being alone drove Lucian more than anything else.
"Why won't you wait?" Lucian managed to wheeze, his words lost as Austin picked up the pace. Lucian collapsed onto the ground repeatedly, only to push himself back up with sheer stubbornness.
Watching from the corner of his eye, Austin begrudgingly admired his tenacity. Still, he maintained his silence, dodging Lucian's attempts to spark conversation by staying just out of reach.
Eventually, Lucian gave up and flopped onto a nearby grass field, breathing heavily.
Within moments, he was asleep, sprawled unceremoniously in the middle of the field.
Just as Austin finished another lap, a group of upperclassmen arrived.
They paused at the sight of the two younger boys—one jogging tirelessly and the other snoring in the dirt.
"Looks like we've got a runner and... a sleeper?" one of them joked, nudging Lucian lightly with their boot.
Another laughed. "Didn't think first-years would come find the training grounds this early. Impressive."
Austin watched them out of the corner of his eye, intrigued but wary.
The upperclassmen are already gathered in the cool, pre-light haze, their silhouettes moving like shadows across the training grounds.
In perfect unison, they begin their training, a silent rhythm of calisthenics and combat drills.
Their bodies flow through the exercises with a precision that speaks of years of practice, muscles working in seamless harmony.
As the first hints of light touch the horizon, they shift seamlessly into Mystical Arts, standing still but radiating energy.
Their hands weave through the air, channeling mana with quiet concentration, the faintest glow flickering around them.
From afar, it's a mesmerizing sight—an early ritual that blends physical endurance with the quiet mastery of the Mystical Arts, all before the sun rises.
As the first rays of dawn painted the horizon, a golden light flickered in the center of the training grounds.
Intrigued, Austin approached cautiously but swiftly, noting how the light etched a riddle into the earthen floor.
He wanted to read it before it disappeared, just like the riddles he had seen the previous night, withdrawing after some time.